The Wildest Heart

Elena Kordes and I understood each other well enough, and there were times when I almost enjoyed sharpening my wits against hers. This morning, I had the feeling that she was being deliberately, exaggeratedly kind—both to Luz and to me, as if we were children who must be indulged.

I went downstairs afterwards, leaving Luz admiring her new gown before the mirror, and had almost reached the kitchen when I heard Lucas’s angry voice. He came striding through the archway before I had time to move past—almost barreling into me.

“What are you doing downstairs? You ought to be restin’ up.”

But his voice was distracted, and I think he would have brushed past me without any further ceremony if I had not deliberately stood in his way.

“Good morning, Lucas. Aren’t you going to congratulate me? After all, you had so much to do with my decision to marry your brother!”

I thought he had to blink his eyes to focus them on me. And I noticed then that he was shirtless and bareheaded—beaded, Apache-style moccasins on his feet. I noticed too that he looked tired as well as angry.

“Congratulate you?” His husky voice echoed my words as if he hardly comprehended them, and I saw how his fingers riffled irritably through his hair, pushing it off his forehead.

“Of course—on my engagement to Ramon!” I repeated with mock-patience. “Do you intend to make a habit of coming back to the house this early every day, Lucas? If so I’ll make an effort to stay out of your way.”

“What in hell are you talkin’ about? Where’s Elena? We got company, seems like… Thought I’d better warn everybody.”

I had a feeling he was thinking of something else, even though he had condescended to explain to me. There were tension lines in his face, and the sun wrinkles looked deeper.

“You mean that somebody’s coming here? Somebody from outside?”

“Don’t get your hopes up. No one you know.”

“I suppose rudeness comes naturally to you!”

“An’ you ask too damn many questions.”

“I’m sure I can find out anything I wish to know without having to resort to asking you any questions!”

“Wait a minute!”

He grasped my arm roughly and swung me around to face him.

“Look—look, I’m sorry.” His voice was as rough as the grip of his fingers around my arm, but sheer surprise held me still this time. “I’d no call to snap your head off the way I did. But there are some things you don’t understand.”

“I’m always being told that.”

“Told what? Lucas, are you two quarreling again? I don’t mean to intrude, of course, but when I heard your voice… is anything wrong?” Lucas dropped my arm as if it had suddenly burned his fingers, and I could have sworn he flushed guiltily when Elena’s coolly amused voice sounded behind us.

I could not stop myself from watching his face. It changed as usual when he saw her, when he spoke to her—but this time taut anger came into it.

Perhaps he wouldn’t have spoken so bluntly if I had not been present. “I came here to tell you that Montoya is on his way in. He gave the signal, and Julio went to meet him.”

There was a slight pause, a fraction of an instant when Elena seemed to hesitate, and then she laughed softly.

“But that is wonderful! So, at last you two will meet again and settle your differences, as I have hoped for, for so long! It’s high time, and you know it!”

“Don’t be too sure of anything! Huh!” Lucas made a harsh sound. They both seemed to have forgotten me for the moment.

“Me and Montoya—you expect us to settle things and be friends again that easy, when you know damn well how it was when we last met? You know it, Elena. Why does he come here? Why do you encourage him to do so?”

Her head went back and I saw her eyes narrow. “And why shouldn’t I? Just because you had a stupid quarrel with him is no reason why I should turn away from an old friend—and a friend of your father’s too, must I remind you?”

He said savagely, “No, you don’t have to remind me of that, an’ you know it!”

The tension between them was a tangible thing. They looked at each other as if they were alone, and it was Elena who first remembered my presence.

“Lucas, please! Will you not try to act at least halfway civilized toward him? For my sake? Jesus is angry with you, yes, just as you are with him, but it was so long ago, and it is over now! He has been here, he accepts the fact that Luz stays here. Never has he tried to force himself on her.”